Dear ASERA members,
Research in Science Education (RISE) is currently seeking submissions for a special issue on “Research-Informed Policy and Practice in Science Education.”
For more information and submission instructions, please visit: https://link.springer.com/collections/cbfhegcjed
Guest Editors: Wonyong Park (University of Southampton) and Liam Guilfoyle (University of Oxford)
How research can meaningfully inform both classroom teaching and education policy has attracted growing attention. At the same time, debates continue over the extent to which educational practice and policy can—or should—be based on research evidence; what qualifies as evidence in education; the mechanisms through which research is translated into policy; and who participates in this process.
This special issue of Research in Science Education seeks to advance critical understanding of how science education research informs, and is shaped by, policy and practice. It aims to explore the mechanisms, mediators, and challenges that influence the uptake and use of research by policy actors and practitioners, as well as how science education research itself is shaped by shifting policy agendas, political priorities, and structural or practical constraints.
Although discussions of evidence-informed education have gained momentum in recent years, they have largely focused on subject-general concerns. This special issue addresses that gap by considering the unique epistemological, curricular, and policy complexities of science education.
Amid increasing calls for science education to respond to urgent societal challenges—such as climate change, social injustice, misinformation, and political instability—examining the connection between research and decision-making has never been more important. We invite contributions that explore this nexus across diverse contexts and educational levels, and that critically examine what counts as evidence, how evidence travels, and who is positioned to produce, interpret, and benefit from it.
Interested authors are invited to submit a 500-word abstract to the Guest Editors (w.park@soton.ac.uk and liam.guilfoyle@education.ox.ac.uk) by 15 December 2025.
With best wishes,
Wonyong Park and Liam Guilfoyle
Dr Wonyong Park (he/him)
Associate Professor of Science Education
Southampton Education School
University of Southampton
Visiting Professor, Ewha Womans University